


Character Restriction

by narukamiyu



Category: Granblue Fantasy (Video Game)
Genre: M/M, Pre-Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-08
Updated: 2020-10-08
Packaged: 2021-03-08 02:26:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,743
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26888092
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/narukamiyu/pseuds/narukamiyu
Summary: Sandalphon and Lucio get separated from the others during a trip through the Arcarum.
Relationships: Lucio/Sandalphon (Granblue Fantasy)
Comments: 10
Kudos: 48





	Character Restriction

The most irritating thing about this situation, Sandalphon thought, was the constant dripping of water. He could handle the darkness of the tunnel that they’d found themselves in. He could even tolerate the presence of Lucio, who had actually been helpful by lighting their way the best he could. But the wet drops that splattered onto his head were unpredictable and made deceptively innocent _plops_ when they happened to miss his now-damp hair and landed on the slippery floor. 

“You look unhappy, San-chan.”

Okay, so cross “tolerating Lucio” from the list. Sandalphon shot him a disdainful glare. “What could _possibly_ make me happy right now?”

“Coffee?” Lucio said lightly, and he could have throttled him right there and then if he didn’t know the captain and Lyria would disapprove. He settled for rolling his eyes and continuing to walk forward, wishing that the footing wasn’t so unsteady.

“And how do you suggest we get that here, of all places?” It wasn’t a serious question, but of _course_ Lucio pulled a canteen out of nowhere to present it to him. He stared at the bottle in disbelief. “Why were you even carrying that around?”

“For you,” Lucio said, as if it was the simplest answer in the world. His face appeared as guileless as usual, but Sandalphon couldn’t tell what he was thinking. Despite sharing a face with Lucifer, Lucio had a fluidity to his expressions that sometimes felt like sand slipping through his fingers. 

Sandalphon shook his head. “I know you put too much sugar in your coffee half the time. I refuse to drink that abomination.”

The airy smile that he often wore refused to fade, not that Sandalphon had expected it to. He’d learned by now that Lucio was frustratingly difficult to faze. “It hasn’t been sweetened, I assure you. The coffee is in its original state except for its temperature.” The smile shifted. “I did say that it was for you, after all.”

He reluctantly took the canteen between both hands, noting that it was almost full. Sandalphon sipped at the coffee cautiously, his frown easing into something more neutral. The drink was lukewarm, but the taste wasn’t as awful as he was admittedly expecting. Actually, it wasn’t bad at all, with its bitterness tempered by the rich flavor. “Did you brew this yourself?”

Lucio was watching him closely and seemed pleased that he hadn’t spat it out immediately. “I did, with some assistance from our captain. Is it to your liking?”

Sandalphon hesitated for a second before shrugging. There was no harm in being honest. “It’s fine. There’s obviously room for improvement, but you couldn’t have had much time to practice.”

“Wonderful. I would be happy to make it for you again if —”

“I can make my own coffee,” Sandalphon said sharply. He didn’t know whether to laugh or feel bad at the way Lucio visibly deflated. He took another sip and returned the bottle, which seemed to mollify him. 

“I hope it was refreshing, at the very least. We will need the energy to find our way out of this labyrinth.” Lucio craned his neck as if to look further down the tunnel, but Sandalphon knew full well that it was nigh impossible to see through the oppressive darkness surrounding them. 

So he focused on what they _could_ see instead. “How long do you think you can keep your little light trick going?” He didn’t say it aloud, but it wouldn’t do for Lucio to become so drained from lighting their way that he would be unable to fight back should monsters attack. 

Fortunately, Lucio’s lighthearted response saved him from worrying too much about the matter. “My light could shine upon the darkness for hours — possibly even for days.” 

Something told him that the last part was a lie, but Sandalphon decided to let it go for now. This wasn’t the best time or place to pick at Lucio’s words. “I think I feel a draft,” he muttered. “Maybe we’re close.”

Lucio didn’t comment. For a while, the echoes of their footsteps were the only sounds he could hear. And of course, those damn water droplets. When the howling started, it was a jarring break to the relative quiet that they’d been walking in for the past few hours.

Both of them immediately drew their swords. They didn’t have the space to do much more, but they could at least try to defend themselves. The grating sound of claws clacking along the ground rushed toward them, and before they could even register its appearance, a blur tackled Lucio to the ground. The light in his hand flickered, and Sandalphon blinked hard and kicked out in order to get the monster off of Lucio.

The resulting grunt of pain told him that he’d accidentally kicked Lucio instead. Scowling, Sandalphon called out his name. He received light in response, allowing him to see that Lucio was struggling to keep the beast’s jaws away from his face. An unfamiliar panic jolted him to action, and he slashed at the monster’s side with his sword. It switched targets with an angry yowl, but it lost its chance to pounce on Sandalphon as Lucio stabbed it from behind. 

The beast appeared to have been defeated, but Sandalphon remained on high alert as he circled around it to get to Lucio. He had managed to get back on his feet, but the way he was favoring one leg clearly showed that he had not gotten out of the encounter unscathed. “Where does it hurt?” Sandalphon asked gruffly. He sheathed his sword and allowed Lucio a moment to do the same. 

Somehow, he knew what Lucio was going to say before he said it. “I am fine,” he said in an infuriatingly calm voice. It was almost as if they were having a nice chat over tea rather than recovering from a surprise monster attack. Before Sandalphon could call him out on how full of shit he was, Lucio made a fool of himself by trying to take a step and nearly falling on his face. Sandalphon caught him in time, wrapping an arm around his waist to keep him steady. He supposed he had no choice but to support him until they got out of this stupid cave. 

“Don’t make me repeat myself,” he hissed. He hated leaving them open to more attacks in this awkward position, but he could just drop Lucio to protect them both if it came down to it. Lucio probably wouldn’t even mind, anyway. 

After a few minutes of shuffling along, Lucio sighed. “My left leg did not land in a favorable position when I fell backward earlier. It is mildly discomforting, but nothing major.” He grimaced as his head bumped the ceiling. “I would take the weight off of it with my wings, but there is barely enough space in here for me to stand up straight.” 

Sandalphon had never considered himself a claustrophobe, but the cramped nature of the tunnel did make it hard to breathe. Even though Lucio had a _very slight_ height advantage over him, he still couldn’t move with the range of freedom that he would like. “After we get out of here, I’m never going underground again.”

Lucio chuckled, though it was with much less mirth than usual. “I wholeheartedly agree. Situations like this allow us to truly appreciate the skies.” 

Well, that was one way of looking at it. At least Lucio’s boundless optimism was a reliable constant in his life. As they pressed forward, however, Sandalphon felt his strength start to flag. The two of them had been stuck here for far too long. He loathed to admit it, but even an archangel had his limits. 

Lucio seemed to sense his wavering stamina. He tried to take his weight off of Sandalphon, his limp becoming more pronounced as he did. When Sandalphon glared at him, all he could do was offer a rueful smile. “I am feeling much better, San-chan. There is no need for you to take on an extra burden.”

There was plenty to unpack from that statement alone, but Sandalphon wasn’t in the mood. “Next I suppose you’ll say something about leaving you here so that I can get help?” he asked sardonically. 

How Lucio found that to be funny, he couldn’t figure out. “Were it not too dark for you to traverse alone, I would have already suggested it.” 

Sandalphon was offended at the implication that he would get lost in the dark, but he knew the possibility always existed in a place as convoluted as the Arcarum. “It’s better for us to not get separated,” he agreed. Coming back to find Lucio would be a nightmare, and he had no intention of leaving him behind in the first place. 

He tightened his grip around him. They had to reach the end at _some_ point, right? No matter what the Arcarum was, it would take more than a silly little maze to take down the Supreme Primarch and...whatever Lucio was. 

And wasn’t that the elephant in the room? Even with their tentative friendship at a better place than ever, Sandalphon still didn’t know who Lucio really was. He had tried to broach the subject once, back when he’d spent most of his interactions with Lucio accusing him of being a fake. In hindsight, that may not have been the best way to get to know him.

“Hey. You’re not a primal beast, are you? You don’t feel like one, and Lyria never mentioned anything about it.”

Lucio glanced at him with a tiny smile. Sandalphon suddenly became aware of the warmth radiating from his body, even through the armor. “I cannot fault you for being curious, I suppose. Although I am closer to being a primal than a mortal, I could not be classified as such.”

That raised more questions than it answered. “If you’re not an archangel, how come you have wings?” He frowned, a grim possibility coming to mind. “You didn’t...steal them, did you?”

For some odd reason, Lucio didn’t bring up the irony of the suggestion. His voice remained steady as he responded. “I assure you that these wings are my own. I wish to share my origin and purpose with you, but now may not be the best time.”

Sandalphon believed him, but he couldn’t help but be frustrated by all the secrecy. What could possibly be so important that he kept his true identity hidden from everyone he knew? “When is a good time?” he pressed. 

Lucio seemed to be seriously considering it, at least. If he’d brushed him off with that flippant tone of his, Sandalphon might have snapped at him. When Lucio spoke, his voice was softer than usual. “Would it be all right if we spoke after we left this place? Despite my precautions, I find that I want to share this with you.”

Well...that was a start. Less of a deflection and more of a delay. He could work with that. “We deserve a break after this, anyway. Let’s find somewhere quiet and talk.”

Lucio gave him a wan smile. “Then it’s a date.” 

Before Sandalphon could protest his wording, a familiar voice reverberated through the tunnel. He couldn’t figure out the words themselves, but it was clear that their captain was nearby. “We’re here!” he called out. He couldn’t see any light ahead, but they’d probably have to turn a corner at some point.

“It seems our wandering is finally coming to an end.” Lucio sounded relieved, and Sandalphon could relate. He was sick of being down here, and he’d be indulging in a long hot shower after getting out. 

“Keep your weight off your leg,” Sandalphon reminded him. “Once we’re above ground, you’ll be able to fly anyway.”

Lucio fell silent. Sandalphon had a brief moment of panic, thinking that he’d suddenly lost consciousness. He spoke up before Sandalphon could shake him. “Thank you for taking care of me, San-chan. Even with your initial distrust of me, you have given me a chance to be your friend.”

Sandalphon scowled. “It’s nothing that deep. I wouldn’t have left you here to die regardless.” Leave it to Lucio to make everything sentimental. Sure, Sandalphon had grown to care about him, but why bring that up _now_? Pushing his embarrassment to the side with a huff, he dragged Lucio toward the voices. He thought he could hear Lyria shouting their names, too.

Seeing the light ahead, Lucio dismissed his own. Rays of sunshine were pouring in from an opening in the ceiling, and if he squinted, he could see Djeeta and Lyria’s heads peeking over the edge. 

“We finally found you! We were so worried…” Lyria looked as if she was about to tear up, and Sandalphon wondered just how long they’d been stuck in this tunnel. 

“Can you fly up, or do we need to send someone down?” Their captain was better at hiding her worry, but it was still obvious to him. He kind of felt bad for making them spend so much time searching for them. 

Sandalphon let go of Lucio so that he’d have space to spread his wings, but he simply floated up using the tiny things on his back. Rolling his eyes, he quickly followed him back to the surface.

He immediately felt the difference in the air and drank it in greedily. He hadn’t been kidding when he’d told Lucio that he would not go underground again, at least not for a long while. The light was actually kind of hurting his eyes, but luckily it appeared as if the sun would set soon. “We were in there for a whole day?” he muttered, blinking as his eyes adjusted. 

Djeeta began leading them back to where the Grandcypher must have been docked. “You ended up pretty far from where we got separated. Your legs must be sore.”

“More like our entire bodies,” Sandalphon grumbled. He shot Djeeta a small smile to let her know that he was kidding. Mostly. “Lucio might have a twisted ankle, and whatever other injuries he’s not telling me about.” He was with Lyria and Vyrn behind the two of them, pretending as if he wasn’t listening. Sandalphon knew better.

“I’ll make sure he gets the healing he needs.” Djeeta glanced back, giving Lucio an assessing look. “I’m surprised that you two didn’t end up fighting. I think your relationship is improving!”

He remembered the kick he’d accidentally delivered onto Lucio and winced. He would have to apologize for that later. Maybe he could treat him to some coffee since Lucio seemed to like it so much. “You’re really nosy, you know that?”

Djeeta seemed wholly unbothered by the accusation. “It comes with being the captain of a crew. There’s a lot you can only find out by being nosy.” Her easy grin belied the seriousness of the statement, but he’d let it go for now. She didn’t seem intent on grilling him about his treatment of Lucio, anyway.

When the Grandcypher came into view, he let out a sigh that he hadn’t known he was holding. He’d long since started considering the airship as home despite having been a part of the crew for only a few years. Sandalphon still had a long way to go before he got used to all the... _unique_ personalities, but he was still doing a lot better than he had at first. 

“What are you thinking about, San-chan?” Lucio came up next to him as they arrived on the deck, his wings fluttering gently as he stayed in the air. 

“Shouldn’t you be getting your ankle looked at?” Sandalphon asked, ignoring the question completely. He was vaguely aware of the others rushing off somewhere, but he paid them no mind. 

Lucio glanced down at his leg with a soft _hm_. “The captain told me to remain here while she brought someone. You should go ahead and get some rest. Today must have been exhausting.”

Sandalphon hesitated. It was true that he had spent the entire day with Lucio, but surprisingly, he found that he wasn’t as irritated as he might have been in the past. “A few minutes of waiting won’t hurt. Someone needs to watch you and make sure you don’t wander off.”

The fondness in Lucio’s smile let him know that he recognized the weak excuse, but Sandalphon didn’t have the heart to tell him off. 

**Author's Note:**

> i may add a continuation of this if I feel inspired. hopefully. thank you for reading!


End file.
